WolfGirl
by Solemn Vocation
Summary: What would happen if Bella chose Jacob? Excepts of different Chapters with this idea.
1. Chapter 1

_**Wolf Girl: A Twilight Fan Fiction**_

_**What if Bella turned out to be Team Jacob instead of Team Edward?**_

_**That is a question I have asked myself ever since I finished reading the Twilight series. I was a major Jacob fan from the start of New Moon, and was disgusted with the ending of Breaking Dawn. Now, I'm not a major fan of the books. Bella is way too emo for my tastes, and a little too desperate, but if she chose Jake instead of Eddie, I think I may have liked the series a little better. Now, this work isn't meant for publication, and if it gets leaked, I apologize to Stephanie Meyer profusely. I realize that Twilight was all her idea, and I'm not stealing her work. This is purely my imagination at work, taking the characters but changing the plot.**_

Part I

_The Scene: Bella is sitting in Jake's garage. He's building the motorcycles. It's about 8 PM. All of a sudden, she starts thinking about why she's there._

Jacob bent over the motorcycle once more, deeply intrigued in his task. I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes for a moment. I thought about why I was even at Jake's place in La Push in the first place.

Pain shot through me, and I shuddered. I opened my eyes to see if Jake had noticed, but he was still working on the bike. I closed my eyes again.

I visualized that day in the woods. Edward walking away from me after making me promise him not to do anything reckless. I recalled the horrible nightmares and his broken promise of never existing. I had wanted so badly to break my part of the bargain, that in a spur-of-the-moment, rash action, I had bought two beat up bikes.

I suddenly realized that I was using Jacob to get what I wanted, and that he, being the happy go-lucky kid that he was, was oblivious to that fact. He thought that I just wanted to hang out with him and be friends, while I just wanted to hurt Edward back and feel better about our breakup.

I sighed, quietly. I was horrible, doing this. Everyone else got over breakups in time, unless they were psycho. I needed to get over mine, too. I needed to be the better person in this situation. Perhaps keeping my promises to Edward, including the one about moving on, would be best. It would still hurt, maybe always would, sort of, but Jacob didn't deserve to be used in this way. He was a nice boy, and I should respect that. He had given me so much these past few months. He was a wonderful friend, and I decided to value that.

I jumped down from the chair. "Jake," I called, putting my hands in my pockets. He turned and smiled, though his eyes were puzzled.

"Yeah, Bella?" he responded, putting down the wrench and sitting up. I took a deep breath, smiled, and said, "Why don't we do something else tonight? Like, I dunno, maybe go see a movie?"

He positively beamed. "Sure, why not?" He stood up, draped a curtain over the bikes and turned to face me. "Why the change in plans?"

I shrugged. "I guess it would be the change in thought, Jake, but I guess I just wanted to do something where I could actually help. I mean, movies aren't really a participation activity, but hey, it's something new."

Jake nodded. "Yeah, I guess I've been a little rude, excluding you. Sorry." I shook my head, sorry I had insinuated such a thing. "No, Jake, it's not you. It's me. It's kind of hard to explain right now, but…"

He patted me on the shoulder. "I get it, Bells. Come on, let's go see that movie! What's in theatres? You know, I haven't been in a while…" And he was off, rattling off the names of great movies he'd seen or heard of, and I just smiled and nodded the whole time.

I knew he didn't really get it, so maybe it was just a friendly, sympathetic comment. I shrugged it off and followed him to the truck. He insisted on driving, and I didn't object. We headed for the theatres without even bothering to ask Billy, but I knew he wouldn't mind.

When Jake put his arm around my shoulders and grew silent as he drove through the woods to town, I felt a sensation I hadn't experienced in a while. Anticipation, eagerness, and, oddly enough, pleasure. This whole 'true friends' thing might actually work, I thought.

**_Okay, thanks for reading Part I. I should have Part II up real soon._**


	2. Chapter 2

Wolf Girl: A Twilight Fan Fic

_**Part II**_

_**The Scene: Jacob has been ignoring Bella for a few weeks, and she's really worried. She shows up at his house in La Push, but is shocked to see his change.**_

I pulled up the drive and parked, listening to the pattering rain on the hood for a minute. Water was blurring my vision through the windshield, so I couldn't see very well, but I did distinctly see movement after a time. Ignoring the umbrella on the passenger seat, I opened the car door, jumped out into freezing, needle-like raindrops, and slammed it shut. Then, pulling up my hood, I headed for the house. Billy would tell me what was going on.

Remembering the three-time knock Jake and I had invented for each other, I proceeded to perform it, but the door opened before my hand even touched the wood. Before me stood, or rather, sat Billy in his wheelchair with an odd expression on his face.

"Hi," I said hesitantly. The aura about him didn't seem welcoming as it usually did. "Is Jake home?"

Billy shook his head gravely. "No, Bella, I'm afraid Jacob isn't home. He left for a trip just a few days ago. He shouldn't be home for a while."

I got angry. "Billy, please, this is serious. I need to know where Jacob is. Where is he? I know he's here somewhere!"

Billy sighed. "He's not here, Bella. Just left. But please don't go after him…Bella!"

I ignored Billy's cries for me to come back. I was already off into the forest where I'd last seen movement from the truck. Jake was in the woods, and I had to find him. Billy couldn't stop me.

I tore through trees, bushes, and all sorts of plants, screaming. "Jake! Jake, please, answer me!"

Tears streamed down my cheeks, along with the pouring rain. My best friend was avoiding me. I had to find out why, but how could I when I couldn't find him?

With one last call, I ran out of breath. I sat down on a mossy rock and sobbed for what seemed like hours. My heart was breaking for the second time, and I felt the worst pain imaginable.

Suddenly, I heard a rustle in the bushes nearby, even through the rain. The fern was shaking ferociously. I picked my head up from my jacket sleeves and stared at it. "Hello?"

No sound came. I started to get nervous. "Hello?" I called out again, louder this time. The bushes stopped moving. I held my breath, scared to death, and stood. From out of the bushes came a large, furry wolf, with wet and matted brown fur. It was such a lovely color, though, the same color as Jake's skin…and those eyes were so familiar…

"Jake?" I asked, taking a small step closer. The wolf nodded, hung its head, and came up to me. I knelt down and cried all over again, happy that I had found him and angry that he hadn't told me. It was all coming together now. Jake was a werewolf.

I petted his fur and hugged him. Jake didn't move, didn't make a sound, except for an occasional whine here and there. I whispered over and over, "Oh Jake, why didn't you tell me?"

Then, as suddenly as he had come, Jake wriggled from under my grasp and ran off into the woods again. I stood and waited for a moment, to see if he could come back, but when he didn't, I started off after him, slowly though, so he wouldn't notice me coming.

I could see the tracks his paws had made in the mud and dirt. I followed them for a while until I came to a cave in the heart of the forest. It must have taken me ages to find him, because when I came upon him, he had already somehow changed back, and was slipping on a plain t-shirt.

I tried to back off, but he saw me and called out, "Bella!" I crept back into view and when he could see me again, he ran up to me. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I meant to tell you, but they wouldn't let me. I wanted to…"

I embraced him, and instantly felt warm again. I sighed with happiness and snuggled up when I felt his arms wrap around me. I tried to ask him, but my voice was muffled against his chest, and I didn't want to let go.

"What?" he asked, pulling back and looking at me. I sighed. "I said, I thought you didn't want to become part of Sam's group. Why didn't you tell me what they were so I could stop it?"

He chuckled. "Bells, I doubt you could have stopped anything. And I didn't, at first. Sam's a great guy; I just didn't know it until I met him. I didn't know what they were before."

"But how did you get from this to…that?" I asked, confused. He sort of winced and continued, "Apparently, I'm part werewolf, by blood. Everyone in Sam's pack is werewolf by blood, too. We're all brothers, now." I shook my head. "But you hated him!" "Yeah, Bella, I know, but that was before I knew we were connected. He was just looking out for me, and even though stalking me was kinda weird, and not telling me the real reason my friends were leaving me was rude, he just cared."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, I'm never gonna like him any more than I do now, Jake." He nodded. "You wouldn't understand," he said. "Now, let's get you back to the house." I was expecting to walk, but Jake picked me up with ease and carried me like a baby. I would have objected normally, but he was so warm, and it was so cold…

"Don't worry," he whispered in my ear, "I'll put you down when we're in view of the house so Billy won't see."

I smiled, and relaxed, hoping he'd walk slowly.

_**Thanks for reading, please R&R!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Part III**_

_**The Scene: Jacob and Bella are driving back to Bella's house after cliff jumping (done together, only Bella almost drowned, not on purpose, however). Jake senses a disturbance, which interrupts their romantic moment.**_

"Jake, I'm so sorry. About almost drowning, about Harry…" He shook his head. "Bells, that wasn't your fault. I'm glad you're okay, that's why I've been…distant all evening. And you didn't kill Harry, so don't worry about it. I'm just worried about Billy."

I shivered involuntarily. He put his arm around my shoulder. "We're never doing that again, though, by the way," he whispered. I burst into laughter. He would have laughed along under different circumstances, but seeing as his father's best friend (besides Charlie) was dead, he only smiled vaguely.

All of a sudden he stopped the car abruptly. I was thrown forward by the force of his foot hitting the brakes. He held out an arm to stop me from hitting the air bag. "Whoa," he muttered, turning off the car. We were a few houses down from mine.

"What?" I mumbled, regaining control of my body and putting my seatbelt on, even though we were stopped. He sniffed the air a few times, and I felt the urge to chuckle, but then I saw it. Sitting in my driveway was a car. Edward's car.

I tensed up and suddenly grew angry. Why was he here? It had been months since our breakup and I was doing what he wanted, making a better life for myself. There was no reason why he should think he had to come back and screw it up. I also realized that besides anger and tension, I felt pain. I was hurt. His return was making that hole in my heart, which had already begun to heal, fester again.

I looked over at Jake. He was definitely mad, too. His mouth was fixed into an awful scowl, his knuckles, still attached to the steering wheel, were white, and his eyes, perhaps like mine, were full of pain, but for a different reason.

He caught my gaze. "What are we going to do?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. He looked away, towards the house. "I am going to find out what his freaking problem is. You are staying here." I was about to argue, but decided against it. He was starting to shake with anger. I nodded and watched as he exited the truck, slammed the door, and walked up to the house. He disappeared around the back, and I listened intently for any sounds. There were none.

It must have been a good 15 minutes before Jake opened the front door and beckoned to me. I jumped in the driver's seat, drove my truck up to the house, got out, and walked up to him. "What's going on?" I asked, my voice wavering. He shook his head and nudged me into the house. "I'm out here when you're done," was his 'answer.' I couldn't believe he was leaving me to do the dirty work, but then again, this was my battle, not his. I had to do my part. He had probably already done his.

I took a deep breath, nodded, and entered my home. It was way too quiet, but I remembered about being brave and walked into the kitchen, where the light was on. With her back to me was…

"Alice?" She spun around, a nervous expression on her face. "Oh Bella," she cried, coming up to embrace me. I awkwardly hugged her back, but she pulled away. "You smell disgusting. Like wet dog," she said, holding her nose. I chuckled.

"Yes, well, I guess you could say that I went from one extreme to the other," I replied. "You've really let yourself go," she murmured, looking me up and down. "Thanks," I said sarcastically, but she didn't seem to notice my tone.

She sighed. "Tell me what happened earlier before I tell you what I saw," she said, sitting down at the table. I crossed my arms. "What did you see, Alice?" I told her firmly. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, like it was a trial to tell me.

"I saw you jumping off a cliff. You were drowning. I thought you were dead, Bella, I really did, so I had to come and find out for myself."

I rolled my eyes. "Alice, it's called a sport. Cliff jumping is something people in La Push do for fun." Her eyes turned black. "So that dog put you up to it?" she asked severely. I got mad.

"He's not a dog! He's a werewolf, there's a difference, Alice! How'd you like to be called a sparkling rock? Leave him along and pay attention to me!" I couldn't believe how arrogant that sounded, but it was out. And in this situation, it was the truth.

Alice smiled weakly. "You finally think about yourself, nowadays? And I understand your point, sorry." She rubbed her forehead and sighed again. This time, it sounded like it hurt.

"Bella, I think there's a huge problem here. Rosalie was with me when I had the vision, and I had to tell her, and you know how she is. She texted Edward and told him, quite insincere, and now he thinks that you're dead."

I stared at her. "So?" I asked, turning away to fetch something in the refrigerator. She stood up. "Bella!" she cried. "Don't you understand? He thinks you're dead, so he's going to the Volturi in Italy. He…he wants to die too!" I was in mid-swig of a bottle of Gatorade while the comment was made. I spat it all out in a spray of green all over the counter.

"What!?" I shrieked. Jacob was in the room in a split second, standing loyally beside me. "Did she hurt you?" he asked in a deadly calm voice. I shook my head. Alice repeated her statement.

"Edward heard about the cliff incident, and he thinks she's dead, Black. He's going to kill himself." Jacob rolled his eyes. "The bloodsucker's being melodramatic. Just tell him she's not dead and get out of here. Why should Bella care whether or not he's going to off himself after what he did to her?"

Alice freaked out. I thought she was going to pull out massive tufts of hair. "My brother is not melodramatic, he loved her!" Jake violently shook his head. "He left her in the middle of a freaking forest, leech. I doubt that's true love."

Alice started to cry and turned to me, having given up on breaking Jacob. "He's not listening to me, Bella. Edward won't answer my calls or texts. I already tried as soon as Jacob came in and told me. He won't listen to anything but you. Please, you have to come with me, to Italy!"

Jacob started to protest, but I grabbed his arm. "Alice, I…I can't. I'm sorry this is happening, I wish it wouldn't, but…I can't go with you." My heart was tearing into so many different pieces. I grabbed Jake's hand and squeezed, wiping my tears with the opposite hand.

Alice hung her head. "I know he hurt you," she said, "but you can forget all about it once we make sure he's going to live…"

The phone started ringing. Alice perked up, lifted an ear towards it, then sprinted over and picked it up. "Swan residence," she said softly. All was quiet. Jacob tensed up.

Alice handed the phone out to the air and beckoned me over. I took it and whispered, "Hello?" into the receiver.

"Bella?" came the answer. "Yes," I mumbled. "Now do you believe Alice?" There was silence for the longest time. Then I heard Edward breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank God," he murmured. "Yes, I believe. Bella, I'm sorry…"

"Shut up and get out of my life like you said you would," I screamed, my voice breaking. I slammed the phone down and Alice sighed. "My work is done," she said quietly and moved over to get her things. Jake came over and held me, but not before he turned to Alice and told her to get out.

She left without a word.

_**Hope you enjoyed, please R&R!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Part IV**_

_**The Scene: Charlie has been acting strangely all morning. Bella is anxiously waiting for Jacob to arrive. **_

All throughout breakfast, I kept getting sheepish looks from Charlie. He looked uncomfortable, like he was waiting to get a reaction of some sort out of me. I just smiled over at him from time to time, wondering what was up. I didn't wonder that much, though. I was too busy eagerly anticipating Jacob walking through the front door. He was coming to pick me up this morning in the car he'd just finished making the other day. I was excited to see it. He'd been supposedly working on it for quite some time, but hadn't let me know until it was finished.

I probably shouldn't have, but I scarfed down my breakfast too fast. I got a massive stomach ache afterwards. Charlie gave me some Tums and told me to lie down on the couch. He came and sat in his big green chair by the television after he was finished eating at a normal pace. It was a quiet atmosphere, but I liked it. It was one of the few moments being in his company that I treasured in later years.

I sighed and adjusted myself on the couch. With that sigh came the thought of all the changes of the past month. There were a lot.

For one, my friendship with Jacob had bloomed into something even more beautiful. He was now my boyfriend. Thankfully, he'd also just had his 17th birthday, so the now 1 and a half year age difference wasn't so noticeable. With Jake came the pack, so I was well acquainted with them by now; and after hearing of the talking to I gave Edward over the phone, they softened up and started liking me. I liked Emily from the moment I saw her. She was like a sister to me, taking the place of Alice. Jake and I spent nearly every non-school waking moment hanging out with the pack, when we weren't talking to each other, that is.

Speaking of Alice, I hadn't spoken to her since the night of my cliff jumping episode. I won't lie, I did miss her, and I realized I had been maybe a little cross with her, but I couldn't take back the past. I probably would never see her again. That hurt me, deep down, when I thought about it.

My thoughts immediately ceased when I heard the opening of the front door. I expected Jacob to come bounding in with a smile on his face, like he always did, but was disappointed to see him slowly loping into the room with a clouded expression. Furthermore, my father, who usually jumped up and clapped him on the back upon entry, didn't even turn around. It was Jake who walked over to Charlie's chair and made his presence known by a slight grunt. Charlie simply turned his head to Jake. They exchanged knowing glances for a few moments while I sat up on the couch.

Jake must have heard me stirring. With a toss of the keys into the air and a skillful catch, he turned to me. "C'mon, Bells." I jumped off the sofa, waved goodbye to Charlie, and followed my boyfriend out of the house.

He didn't speak to me until we were outside, the door having been firmly closed. "We're going to the airport," he said shortly, grabbing my hand and leading me towards the car. I was puzzled by his answer, but even more so by the old Rabbit that sat in my driveway as we turned the corner.

"I thought you were bringing the new car," I mumbled, disappointed. "It still needs repairs," he said quickly. I sighed and got in the passenger side. He jumped in and started up the car, pulling out and heading for Seattle, and the airport.

"Why are we going to the airport?" I asked after a few minutes of silence. I could tell that Jake was testy about something and wondered if it was for the same reason Charlie was. But that was highly improbable, wasn't it?

Jake was quiet, and for a moment, I thought that perhaps he hadn't heard me, too engrossed in driving. But he looked at me out of the corner of his eyes, judged my expression, and decided to tell me.

"You really want to know?" he asked. I rolled my eyes. "Obviously, Jake, that's why I asked," I snapped, irritated. No one ever told me the important news until it was upon me, like they were afraid I'd have a nervous breakdown. Then again, it had happened once before, so they had a right to think that.

Jacob grunted, apparently slightly offended by my response. He waited a minute before answering my question.

"The shiny rock is returning," he said with a bit of a smirk. I didn't know why he was smiling with that comment, even if it was only brief. I felt sick to my stomach immediately. "Why?" I managed to blurt out before having to open the window to clear the nausea.

"He wants to discuss something with me," Jake said, putting sarcastic stress on 'discuss.' I frowned to myself. "Then why am I coming?" Jake chuckled. "To piss him off," he replied with a shrug.

I socked him in the arm, regretting it moments later. "Any idea what it's about?" I asked, rubbing my wrist. Jacob shook his head. "None whatsoever. Unless…" he trailed off, pondering this to himself. "Unless what?" I asked, curious. Jake waved me off. "Nothing," he said, giving me a toothy grin. I hated that, the telling me that nothing was going on and then smiling at me so that I wouldn't be mad afterwards.

I put on the radio, turned up the Muse song, and leaned back in my chair, wondering for myself what Edward could possibly want to speak to Jacob about. I had specifically told him to get out of my life. Wanting to meet with my boyfriend wasn't following that request. I decided to make sure I never left Jake's side throughout the whole ordeal. Jake would make sure Edward left me alone, as long as I was near him. I hoped Alice would be there, so I could apologize for being so rude last I saw her. I closed my eyes as I felt Jake's arm around my shoulders…

I held his hand as we waited for Edward, and possibly Alice, to get off the plane. They probably wouldn't have any luggage, besides the few carry-on bags, so we waited right by the escalators and kept our eyes peeled.

"God, how long does it take you to get off a freaking plane?" he breathed after nearly twenty minutes of standing there. I laughed, but inside, I was thinking the same thing. Thank goodness he voiced that, however, because at that moment, I saw the top of Alice's head bobbing about in the crowd descending the elevators. You couldn't miss that hair, I thought. It was impossible to miss.

I squeezed Jacob's hand tighter still when the group of people began to disperse and go their separate ways. There, holding the strap of a knapsack, stood Edward, very disgruntled, besides Alice, who just looked uncomfortable. Edward cursed and turned away when he saw me waiting with Jacob. The latter looked quite smug at his reaction. I let go of his hand and rushed over to Alice. I embraced her, and whispered, "I'm sorry," in her ear. Alice hugged me back, with a, "Don't worry about it," in return. I pulled away and returned to Jacob's side, just like a Labrador retriever.

Edward faced us again, with obvious pain in his eyes. "Why did you have to bring her?" he asked thickly, bluntly. Alice shot him a crappy look. "Hey, she has a right to know. This is about her, after all."

"Isn't it always," I breathed. Jake nudged me and smiled, then looked up at Edward again. "Well? We're still 'discussing,' aren't we?" Edward looked downward and nodded. Alice skipped over, dragging him along. "Come on, Bella, I know a great place to sit and talk," she said cheerfully, clearly realizing that her usual bubbly self would help the matter. I grinned at her, but stayed several feet away from Edward. I couldn't deal with another apology, I couldn't. I looked up at Jake for support. He was smirking. I wished I could punch him in the arm to get him to stop being so immature, but I'd already tried that, and I wasn't in for another round of pain. Not just yet.

_**Hope I've kept you on edge! Please R&R.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Part V**_

_**The Scene: A Mexican restaurant in Seattle; Alice's choice, of course. **_

I had no idea why Alice was taking us to a restaurant to have this meeting. It was probably just so that they could appear normal whilst talking to us, but I'm sure anywhere else would have been a better choice. They couldn't eat; that might cause a problem.

We slid into a booth and gave our drink orders to the waitress, who kept looking flirtatiously at Edward. Jacob got a Dr. Pepper, Alice a water, and I ordered a Coke. Edward didn't want anything, and you could tell that the waitress was trying to get him to look her in the eyes, as tough that might change his choice. When he refused, she scampered off, and I held in a chuckle.

Alice cleared her throat as soon as she was out of earshot and looked over at me and Jacob. I realized then and there that the only reason she was speaking now was because I was there. I shrugged it off. It was better if she spoke, anyways. We didn't want a fight between Edward and Jake. That would be a disaster.

"The reason my brother wanted to speak with you is because of the treaty," she began. "There are boundaries, as you know." I felt Jake tense up beside me, but thankfully, it wasn't noticeable in his appearance, because the girl came back with our drinks at that moment.

She wanted our order, but to stall her from the shock of our not wanting anything to eat, Alice asked for the nachos. Our waitress, still vainly trying to get Edward to look at her, headed off again, and Jake spoke up.

"I didn't think the treaty would still be in effect if you weren't there," he said through clenched teeth. Alice smiled wanly. "That's the thing, dog, you didn't think. But we're all returning, so yes, it will be in effect again." She shot me a warning glance, but I wasn't responsive to the look. I was trying to play it out in my head to figure out what she meant.

It grew quiet. Jacob spoke next. "Why the need to return? The pack and I can take care of this problem ourselves," he said, anger perceptible now. Alice sighed. "This isn't your problem to solve," she said. "We caused it, so we'll fix it. All you need to do is guard your territory and we'll do the rest."

"The rest of what?" I suddenly asked. I couldn't stand it anymore. I was hopelessly lost in the conversation, and needed some answers. Everyone stared at me, including Edward, but it hurt to look at him, so I stared up at Jake. "What's the issue?"

He looked away, opened his mouth to speak, and then groaned as the waitress came back with the nachos. They looked so good, but I didn't want to eat in front of Alice and Edward. It would have been too rude. Jake, however, disregarded this common courtesy and dove right in.

"What are we having today?" the girl asked in an overly sweet voice. "We need a few minutes," I said quickly, turning to Alice. I knew Jake would be of no help, now that he was eating. The girl huffed and walked off. Alice's eyes cast downward.

"Victoria's back," she said quietly. I slumped back in my seat in disbelief. She was back? The redhead that was trying to kill me? Didn't she know that I was of no consequence to her anymore? That it was useless trying to kill me to get to Edward? He didn't care. Or, at least, I didn't think he did. The only reason why he was acting this way was because of the way things had ended last we met.

Alice took my response as a cue to continue. "So, what we're saying, Bella, is that Carlisle and the others are returning, Edward and I will return to school, and everything will be going back to the way it was. Except for a few things." She mumbled this last and cast a sheepish look at Edward, who shot her a glare. Jacob continued snuffling chips into his mouth, but now he did so with vigor. I took it that he didn't realize that all the Cullens would be back.

"What does that mean, though? For Jacob?" I asked, innocently. He stopped eating to listen, his ears perked intently, a chip in each hand.

Alice sighed again, deeper this time. "Unfortunately for your friend, this means that his…abilities…will be confined to La Push. We will be taking over Forks again, continuing our duties as guardians to you and everyone else."

Jacob threw down the nachos and snarled at Alice. "You mean I can't protect her?" Edward raised his head, glaring at Jacob now. "Yes, dog, that's exactly what she means. You can take care of her on your Indian reserve, and we'll deal with the problem in Forks. Do you understand that much, or shall I repeat it?"

"You didn't care enough to protect her earlier. You left, remember, blood sucker? You left her, and didn't care enough to protect her then. Now, because you lost your shot, you want to come back and make everything okay? It doesn't work like that!"

Edward stood, and whispered, his voice shaking, "It was never my intention to leave her unguarded, Jacob. And I never stopped caring." He turned to leave, but Alice yanked him back down onto the booth's seat. "Get over yourself, you're making a scene!" She hissed. Jacob was about to pounce at him across the table, but I grabbed his shoulder.

"Jake, calm down. We'll solve this," I said calmly. "I'll just make sure that I'm in La Push every waking moment. That way, you can be in charge in case anything happens there, and they can deal with the night shift. It works better for everyone this way."

He seemed appeased for the moment, because he sat back. I looked at Alice, who nodded. "Reasonable solution, Bella," she praised. "Thanks," I replied, grabbing one of the few remaining chips that were left.

Our waitress, whose name was apparently Ashley, swooped down upon us again, demanding our order in an impatient tone. I could see her making eyes at another boy and another table. Obviously, Edward's lack of enthusiasm had bored her, and she was preying on someone else. I asked for the check, which she promptly handed me, and we paid right then and there. The deed was done, and we were free. No need to linger awkwardly around.

We rose and turned to leave, but Jake's stomach was still growling, so he crammed the remaining chips into his mouth and downed the Dr. Pepper. He laughed at my face and cry of, "You pig!"

The four of us left the restaurant together, but before we parted our separate ways, the fight I'd been dreading came upon us. Jake put his arm around my shoulder just as we were diverging, and he must have thought of something insulting to Edward, because the vampire was upon us in a moment, baring his teeth.

"Take it back!" he yelled. Jake stepped in front of me, then bluffed, "No." Edward growled, but Alice came to the rescue and dragged Edward away. "Get out of here," she shrieked, "Before he goes over there!"

I didn't understand the statement, but assumed she meant Edward coming over to where we were standing. We hurried away to the car, Jake and I, and sped off towards La Push as quickly as possible, though, just to take precautions.

"What did you do?" I asked nervously once we were safely on the road. Jake shook his head. "Don't worry about it," he said. His mood got even darker when a car sped past us, clearly violating the speed limit even more than we were, which was saying something. He beeped the horn several times and screamed curses out the window, but no response came from the car, which soon drove out of sight.

To calm him down, I turned on the radio. I sang along to most of the songs, wincing at how awful my voice sounded, but it seemed to cheer him up. He started to sing along by the time we reached La Push. Unfortunately, that was when my phone started ringing. It was Charlie's ring tone, the old Hank William's song he liked, but this worried me because Charlie never called my cell. I knew something was wrong.

I shot Jake a look, turned down the song, and answered. "Hello?" There was silence for a while, and then, "Isabella Swan! What do you think you're doing?" Oh, crap, what did I do now? "Just driving around with Jake, dad. What's up?"

"What's up? Oh, I'll tell you what's up. Billy Black just phoned and told me he saw something in Jacob's garage that startled him. Want to tell me what it was, Bella?" I looked at Jake, but he shrugged. "I dunno, dad, what did he see?" Charlie blew up on me. "He saw motorcycles, Bella! What were you doing hanging around motorcycles?"

"Nothing, dad. Why do you think I was part of it?" I was stalling. Charlie hated stalling. But I seriously didn't know why he thought I was part of it.

"Maybe because one of them has your name on it, that's why!" he screamed. He proceeded to go on and on about how he had told me to stay away from bikes, and how now he knew where all the injuries were coming from. I stopped listening and moved the speaker away from my mouth. "You didn't…" I began, but Jake was grimacing at the windshield. "Edward," was his short reply.

I knew in that instant that it had been Edward's car that had sped past us, and Edward had gone to La Push and put my name on one of the motorcycles. "You're grounded from La Push for a month!" I heard Charlie saying. "If Jake wants to visit you, then so be it. Otherwise, you'll not be leaving the house other than to go to school!" Then he hung up on me.

"He did that on purpose," I muttered, "So that…" Jake shook his head furiously. "So that I wouldn't be able to protect you!" He slammed his hand on the steering wheel and cursed again.

I groaned. That was exactly it. He wanted to be the one to protect me. I realized then his motives: one, he was getting revenge on Jacob for whatever thought had offended him, and two, he was still in love with me.

_**Well, that's a wrap. I hope you liked my first FanFic ever, please R&R to let me know if it's any good or not. I hope it is. If so, onward to Harry Potter!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Part VI**_

_**The Scene: Bella, having just gotten home from her drive with Jacob, calls the Cullen's house. Jacob is up in Bella's room, hiding from a steaming Charlie.**_

"Hello?" My voice sounded curt and unfriendly. It wasn't my intention, but how could I not sound like that when he'd just gotten me grounded from La Push? This was just…, "Yes?" I grimaced. "Edward, we need to talk." He was silent, and I wondered if he had already hung up. I was about to, but then came his reply. "I'll be right over." Then the line clicked.

He wasn't even reluctant to see me again, even after the bike incident. Perhaps he didn't realize that I'd already found him out. I sighed, and then started up the stairs. Charlie was still refusing to acknowledge my presence, fuming in the living room. I silently thanked him for that. Maybe it would buy me some time.

I ran up the steps to my bedroom, closed and locked the door, and turned around to see Edward already sitting on my bed. I could tell Jacob was trying his best not to attack. He was restraining himself for my sake, sitting in the corner farthest away from the bed.

"You wanted to talk," Edward said. It wasn't a question. I nodded. "Why did you mess with those bikes?" Jacob shook his head furiously. "The real question is, why did you violate the treaty, leech? You crossed into our territory. For whatever reason, that's still against the rules."

Edward smiled. "Why do I care? I'm dead after all. And besides, it was payback for not taking back that comment." Jacob stood, and Edward did also. They were nearly nose to nose when I shoved myself in between them. It probably wasn't a good idea, but hey, I was a little upset at the time.

"Sit down, Jake. Edward, grow up and turn six! You said it yourself, you're dead, and you shouldn't care AT ALL what Jake says! And I don't care if you're dead or not, you can't go violating treaties! It's not cool." Jacob sat down on my desk chair in silence. Edward was still smug.

"Bella, there's really not much you can do about it now, is there? Telling Charlie about the treaty wouldn't be the brightest thing you've ever done, and it still wouldn't help your case. I do apologize for getting you into trouble, but it was unavoidable under the circumstances." His apology was so insincere. I clenched my jaw and balled my hands into fists. "What circumstances?"

He merely gave me a smirk and gestured in the direction of Jacob. I turned to see him shaking his head. Edward stood to leave, heading for the window, but in a low voice I asked again, "What circumstances, Edward?"

"Your boyfriend; I'm not too happy about this, you know. He's not good for you, Bella. Your idea of getting on with life is totally unsafe." He didn't look at Jake at all while he said this, but as soon as the comment was made, Jacob stood up again, eyes blazing.

"I'm better for her than you!" he growled. Edward shrugged indifference. "Depends on how you look at it," was his last statement. With it, he jumped from the window and ran off, zipping through the trees for the Cullen home.

"YOU'D BETTER RUN!" Jake screamed, along with several other colorful metaphors. I sat down, head in hands, on my bed. This was not how I'd planned to discuss Edward's actions. I could hear Charlie coming up the stairs. Jake did, too, and giving me a quick peck on the cheek, headed off after Edward. I should have stopped him, but I was in another puddle of muck with Charlie now. He was at the door, breathing hard.

Late that night, I snuck out the window. I made sure to bar my bedroom door from the inside so that if the snoring Charlie were to try and check up on me during the night, he'd be unable to enter the room. I packed pillows under the sheets to look like me just in case he managed to get in. I was all set with a back-up plan.

I probably shouldn't have pushed my luck, sneaking out of the house like that. I'd already been busted today; couldn't more mischief have waited until tomorrow? But no. I was eager to see Jacob for some reason I couldn't explain. I always loved being with him, but now that I wasn't allowed to, I felt the urge to see him even more.

I had a backpack strapped to me, and my hair was brushed, but I was still wearing pajamas. At least I'd remembered to bring shoes. That was a plus.

I was doing pretty well in the dark. I swear, I was half-way to La Push, even with my clumsiness, when I noticed that I was being followed. I was probably just too tired to have realized it before, but now, as I paused to see where the heck I was, I heard the low hum of an engine. I turned around. There was Edward, smiling from the front seat of his Volvo.

"Stalker," I mumbled before taking off as fast as I could through the trees. I was really tearing up the shrubbery, too, before I ran out of breath and discovered that I'd only run through some lady's exotic garden. I was now on a connecting street, and Edward was pulling up in front of me, his grin broad now. "Need a lift before you kill yourself?" he asked in amusement. Grudgingly, I nodded, and got in the passenger seat.

_**I know I said I was done, but hey, I got encouragement from people and decided to finish up the series my way. This may take a while...please R&R. :)**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Part VII**_

_**The Scene: Edward and Bella are sitting in his Volvo, driving to La Push.**_

For some reason, I got the feeling that Edward slowed down for once in his life as we drove. It was either that or he took a long route or something. The drive to La Push certainly did not take as long as it took us. To make things worse, my 'hero' decided to press conversation, like I'd forgiven him and his crap already. It was aggravating.

"So, Bella, how has school been?" was the first attempt to get me to talk. I decided to grunt in response, something Charlie did when he didn't want to talk to someone. I could have laughed out loud at the way it sounded, but seeing as I was in the car with Edward, not Jacob, I could not force myself to appear cheerful in any way.

Edward nodded, as if the grunt explained all. I hoped that was all he'd try, but he decided to continue this battle by adding, "No important happenings, juicy breakups, creepy admirers on your part?" I almost said something right then and there, but decided against it. I merely shook my head and continued staring out the window like I'd been doing ever since I got in the car.

I could hear him chuckling. "Pity," he said quietly. "I had hoped that life would get interesting for you, but it's unfortunate that it's that boring." My anger bubbled inside of me. How dare he suggest that my life became dull once he left! _It's actually gotten much better, thank you very much. I'm glad you're out_, I thought. No words escaped my pursed lips.

I could feel Edward's eyes upon me. "What are you thinking about?" I whirled around and glared icily at his golden eyes, at his perfect face. "Nothing that concerns you," I muttered angrily. He laughed. "So you will talk to me!" I think he was honestly pleased. "Not for long," I shot back, and with awesome reflexes (for me, at least) I jumped from the moving car into the brush beside the road. It really hurt, but the bushes had broken the worst of my fall. Edward screamed my name, but I ignored him and ran through the trees, out of his sight just as he turned the expensive car around and came back to where I had landed.

In about five minutes, I was at Jacob's house. Thankfully, we'd at least passed the La Push border on that dreadful car trip, and even in the dark I knew my way around that area of Jacob's reservation. I was panting and sweating as I reached his front porch, and to my utter dismay, my watch said that it was around 1:30 AM. I should have warned Jake before I showed up at his house this early in the morning. I was pretty sure he was asleep.

Just to make sure, I snuck around to the back of the house and peered into his bedroom window. At first, I could see nothing, but after a few moments of peering into the darkness, I realized that there was nothing to see. Jake wasn't there.

With a groan, I turned around to walk back to my own place, hopefully without another run-in with Edward and before the sun came up. After a few mopey paces away from the house, I saw a light coming from his garage. I tiptoed over and, arranging a few bricks into a step formation, looked into this window, hoping to actually see something.

I was shocked to see the entire pack in there, including Billy and little Seth. Emily sat against the door, which faced the window. She seemed to be dozing. I smiled, but then pressed my ear against the cool glass to hear the conversation. It was intense.

Paul was yelling at Sam. I couldn't tell much of what he said, except a few words: "Why do we…she's just…can we trust…all Jake's fault." And then Jake's agitated reply, which was definitely hard to comprehend except for a few interesting words here and there which I could barely hear.

But it wasn't until Sam broke up their little spat that I really understood who they were talking about: "She's Jake's mate, Paul. It's natural he should be concerned." This was followed by a stream of shouts from Leah (I grimaced as I heard her voice: "He hasn't even imprinted, how do we know?"

I saw Sam's head turn, and then I lost all conversation until Jared spoke. "So, we have to kill the red-headed leech, then?"

My eyes widened. Victoria was here in Forks, again? This was awful! She would probably come and find me, and Jacob and his pack would try to save me, and then someone would get hurt. Besides that, there was no reason for killing me anymore. I no longer wished to speak to Edward…but he wished to speak to me. He still loved me, still cared. There was still reason to do away with me. I cried out in frustration.

Crap, I thought as I realized what I had just done. I looked through the window to see Emily staring at me. If I'd woken her up, then surely everyone else in that room had heard.

She made a motion which clearly meant for me to get away, but with that gesture she attracted the attention of Sam, who looked at her and then at the window. I didn't wait to see if anyone else had noticed me. I jumped from my perch and ran off, praying that I'd reach my house soon.

As I ran, I figured out everything in my head. Edward may have written our names on the bikes, but Billy called Charlie in the first place. They both wanted me as far away from La Push, and probably from Victoria, as possible.

Were they in cahoots? I actually chuckled at the thought, and pushed it aside. Billy hated the Cullens; he'd never help them out. Then I recalled the drive here to La Push with Edward not an hour ago. I remembered the route we'd taken...I realized that he'd driven through La Push, but had not intended to stop there. The area I had gotten off at was very close to the border...he'd driven in a complete circle around La Push and was planning on driving out by distracting me with conversation. The story of their cooperation was very convincing, and maybe a little probable that Billy Black and Edward Cullen could be work together...but still, my mind wasn't buying it. "Never in a million years," I assured myself in a whisper, just as I passed the border between Forks and La Push.

_**Hopefully this clears up a few things without confusing you all :P.**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Part VIII**_

_**The Scene: Two weeks later, at Bella, Edward, and Alice's Graduation**_

I could hear Jacob downstairs, talking with Billy and Charlie. I sighed as I slipped into my gown and put the last finishing touches on my hairdo before grabbing the cap and shoving it onto my head. This was one of the few times during our friendship and relationship that it was apparent how much older than Jake I really was. It bothered me immensely, just like it had when I had been in love with Edward. They were staying young while I grew older. It didn't seem right to me, especially since now I knew what imprinting was, and it had not happened yet.

I took a deep breath and opened my bedroom door. I took two steps forward in the heels Jake was making me wear and grimaced. It was going to be a long night. I stepped a few more paces and then realized that the voiced coming from the kitchen had ceased. They were waiting for me to get down there. Joy.

Down the stairs was hell. I had to hold onto the rail as I came down each step one at a time, praying I wouldn't fall. Thankfully, I made it over to the guys in one piece. Jake was smirking, but his eyes were shining, too. I blushed.

"You look nice Bella," Charlie said, patting my shoulder. "Thanks," I replied with a smile. Billy merely smiled at me, but I could tell he approved. They all kept staring at me, though, and it was getting old fast. "Okay, let's go," I announced, and began my quest to reach the car. They didn't argue.

The ceremony wasn't as bad as I thought. Alice and Edward were there, but were sure to keep their distance. We did exchange cordial nods as we passed. The valedictorian (whose name escapes me) gave her speech, diplomas were handed out, and I sat patiently awaiting mine as the A's through M's were called. Jake and I kept eye contact during most of the ceremony, but he was good enough not to cause a stir.

At last, I heard my name. "Isabella Swan," our principal called from the podium. I took a deep breath and stood shakily. My first few steps were all right, but I looked out at the crowd for support from Jake half-way to that blessed piece of paper. That was a mistake. My footing got messed up, and I fell head-first towards the hard-wood floor.

A gasp came from the crowd, and my principal jumped back in surprise. The floor hurt, but just as quickly as I had fallen, I was back up on my feet. "I'm okay," I said several times, to reassure both myself and everyone else. I collected my diploma and shook the man's hand, then looked out to the crowd. Charlie was on his feet, but Jake and Billy were laughing. I nodded solemnly and went back to my seat. How lovely, how loyal of them to be laughing when I could have been hurt. I was actually laughing to myself, however, by the time I sat down again.

When the ceremony finally ended, I carefully walked over to Jake, Charlie and Billy. Charlie looked concerned. "Are you okay, Bella? That was some fall." I shot a look at Jake, who had the biggest grin on his face, and replied, "I'm good, Dad. Honest. It's just these shoes."

He seemed satisfied with my answer. "In that case, you're going to need to change. I don't want you falling down at the party."

Party? Since when did Charlie throw parties? "What party?" I asked. He sighed. "Billy and I have been talking, and it seems that I overreacted. I didn't know you were just working on the bikes, not riding them. I'm sorry for that."

I felt a bit guilty, but made myself look at Jacob. He was still smiling. Then it hit me what was going on. I looked back at Charlie. "So, you aren't grounded anymore, and I'm letting you go to La Push for the party they're giving you. Don't make me regret it," he added as I jumped at him. "I love you," I whispered in his ear. He seemed embarrassed, so I backed off after a few moments. "Thanks," I said simply, and then turned to Billy. "Thank you," I told him politely. He nodded knowingly, and then he and Charlie left.

I faced Jacob. "How did that happen?" I asked. "I convinced my Dad that I was just naming the bike after you, and he seemed to buy it. I'm a little concerned about why he called Charlie in the first place, but it doesn't matter." I hugged him. "You have to behave tonight," he told me. "We're giving you a party, so you have to be nice." I grinned and we left the auditorium for my truck, where I always had a spare pair of sneakers. This would be a fun night with the pack.

The party started out just fine. It was more of a bonfire than a party, but there was music and food, so I guess it could be placed in the party category. It was Quil's iPod, so there was a mix of good music and crap. I endured it, though. The food was awesome. Emily bought sodas and all sorts of junk food, but she also made some of her best dishes. She made a little food tent and guarded all of it, making sure the boys didn't hog everything.

I was surprised to find that Leah Clearwater was there. I expected Seth, because he was good friends with Jake, and therefore me, but Leah and I were still feuding. However, she came up and was very cordial. I silently thanked her for not starting anything.

"Happy Graduation," she said, handing me a present. "You didn't have to, Leah," I said, accepting it. I embraced her, but it was awkward, so I let go and smiled instead. She nodded and went on her way.

I went to go place it in my truck, but Jake stopped me. "Just open it, already. It could be chocolate for all we know, and you wouldn't want that to melt." I gave him the evil stare. We both knew that if it was indeed chocolate, he would swipe it and scarf it down before I had so much as a chance to even look at it. For this reason, I distanced myself from him before opening.

I was shocked to see, as I tore open the crude wrapping paper, that Leah had gotten me a book about Quileute Indians, their cultures, myths, and famous tribes. It was the sequel the book I'd gotten in Port Angeles nearly a year ago, the night of my first 'date' with Edward. I had enjoyed the book, but how did she know I wanted the sequel? I was pretty sure Leah didn't like to read…but either way, I was delighted.

I knew Jake hadn't given her any hints. I showed him my prize and his nose wrinkled. "Oh, it's a book. Pity, it's not edible." I wanted to slug him, but knew that I should probably not, for safety precautions. I nicely placed the book in my truck and rejoined the party. Embry was dancing up a storm over by the bonfire, and Seth was pigging out to the snacks Emily had given him. All the other guys were either laughing or talking. Leah was sulking in the corner, and Jake was by my side. Everything was in its usual place, and I started to relax.

When Jared gave me the mischievous grin and started fiddling with the iPod, I knew something was up. I put down my soda and crossed my arms in front of my chest. I waited. Usually, whenever he gave me the look, a crappy rap or Britney Spears song would follow, but this time, a love song started. All the guys began to laugh and chorus, "Oooohh!" I rolled my eyes and turned around to see Jake standing behind me, with a rose in his hand.

I groaned, but when the pack began to chant for me to accept, I finally stood, took the flower, and slow danced with Jake, amidst cheers of approval. Sam asked Emily, of course, soon after, and they joined us. Quil and Embry danced together, along with Paul and Jared. Leah and Seth came out, too, probably just because they hadn't partners. It was fun, I'll admit.

We didn't say a word, me and Jacob. He smiled at me and stared with those gorgeous eyes, but he didn't crack a joke or anything. I think he would have kissed me, too, if he hadn't looked away at exactly that moment and saw the unspeakable.

With a snarl, he alerted the others. They all stopped dancing and congregated around him. Leah turned off the music and Emily came to hold my hand. I could barely see who it was, but when the moonlight hit him, it was clear. Edward was here in La Push, breaking the rules yet again.

I could see Jared put a warning hand on Jake's shoulder because he was writhing in anger. Sam stepped forward and asked in a loud voice, "Why have you come here?"

I couldn't hear the response. "It's against the rules, leech. You know, the rules you have once more broken?" Paul said, almost as angry as Jacob. This time, the response was clear, and it was terrifying. "I think my arrival is justified, gentlemen. I suggest you hear me out. The Volturi, our leaders, have contacted Carlisle. If Bella doesn't become a vampire soon, they'll come find her, and kill her."

It grew deathly silent. Edward spoke again. "Furthermore, the redhead, Victoria, is here, and the deaths we've been hearing about in the papers are not accidents. She's creating an army, and bringing it here."

A commotion started amongst the pack, but I didn't see or hear any more after that. I blacked out and crumpled onto the ground in a dead faint.

_**I apologize that the timing for this is way off from the actual timing in the books. Hopefully it still satisfies!**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Part IX**_

_**The Scene: At Billy's house, about an hour or so after Bella's fit.**_

I awoke to find both Emily and Jacob standing over me. A wet rag had been placed on my forehead, and I was lying on Jake's bed. It was a little embarrassing, to be honest, but nobody seemed to notice that I was blushing. I guess I was a little too pale to blush properly.

"Bells, you all right?" Jake asked me, when I had officially announced my consciousness with a groan. I managed a nod, and Emily smiled. She took the rag off and stood. "I'll leave you to in here, then," she said quietly, and closed the door behind herself. I sighed.

"Jake, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" I began. He laughed. "Didn't mean to faint? It's fine, Bella, you don't need to apologize." He bent over and kissed me on my damp forehead, but when he drew back, he looked troubled. "What's wrong?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Bella, I don't know what to do. That bloodsucker comes onto our turf AGAIN, tells me my girl has to become a leech just like him, and then warns us that we're all gonna die unless we join forces together."

I sat up abruptly, feeling extremely guilty. It hadn't been too long ago that I'd wanted to become a vampire with Edward, to be with him forever. Plus, Victoria was coming after me. She wanted to kill me. She was bringing an army to help kill me, and anyone else who was in her path. It was my fault, all my fault. If I hadn't fallen in love with Edward in the first place, Jake would happily be prancing about the place, singing my praises, and I'd very well be astride him, forever content to love a werewolf.

Anger quickly passed through me, replacing the embarrassment. Had Edward not gone to Italy in the first place, the Volturi very well may not have bothered about me at all.

"That's never going to happen," I whispered, hugging him. After a few moments of lying in his arms, I stood and left the room, a scowl on my face. "Where is he?" I asked Jared and Paul, who were sitting at the kitchen table with bottles of Gatorade.

"Jake's with you, isn't he?" Jared looked very confused. Paul interpreted the look on my face and punched him in the arm. "The bloodsucker's outside, talking to Sam. It's a bit testy, I wouldn't go out there if I were you," he said solemnly, but I was already heading for the back door. "Speak for yourself," I muttered. Paul was usually the testy one.

Sure enough, I found Sam standing with Emily, talking to Edward, just outside. They all stopped talking as soon as I approached. "What do you think you're doing?" I asked Edward, walking right up to him. Sam and Emily, sensing a storm, nodded to him and left the premises. Edward smiled at me. "What do you mean, Bella?" I rolled my eyes at him and folded my arms across my chest.

"You know perfectly well what I mean. What are you doing here?" He gave me a puzzled look. "I should think you of all people would know. I'm here to protect you, Bella. That has always been my intention. I have never wanted any harm to come to you." He flashed me that half-smile that I used to love. Perhaps it may have dazzled me in the past, but now it just annoyed the crap out of me.

"Yeah, well, so much for that. The ship of which you speak has sailed, Edward Cullen. You've brought more harm to me in a year than James did in a few days. I told you to get out of my life, didn't I?" He winced, but I couldn't have cared less. "What's more is that when you took your little 'suicide' vacay to Italy, I happen to know that you stopped to speak with the Volturi. Told them all about me, didn't you? Yeah, it's because of you that I'm gonna have to become a vampire, but of course, that's what you want, isn't it?"

His eyes were quickly changing to black. I knew I should back off, but I didn't. I had to let it all out.

"So I hope Victoria comes, and I hope she kills you. That would be preferable to the alternative, having you stalk me until kingdom come!" Ouch. I knew after I'd said it that it had struck a nerve. It was too harsh, I'd gone too far. Edward's lip quivered in anger. I took a few steps back. "Just go away," I whispered, and ran. Actually, I had planned to run, but I collided with Jake when I turned around. Thankfully, he didn't notice that I'd hit my head hard on his chest. I rubbed it and watched as my wolf-boyfriend approached Edward.

"Is there a problem, Sparkles?" he asked in a very low and dangerous voice. I'd discovered what had made Edward so mad that Jacob had thought in Seattle just the other day. He'd said, quote on quote, that 'only gay men sparkle,' and after a fit of laughter had developed the name of Sparkles for whenever Edward came around. Jake loved it.

Now, however, Edward looked like he wanted to kill Jake. He never once glanced at me, just stared at Jake with an awful look in his eyes. They were almost nose to nose when Edward said, "Nothing at all, Lassie."

I screamed as Jacob lunged at Edward. I couldn't hold him back if I'd tried. They grappled for a little while, until Quil and Embry came over, noticing the fight, and were able to haul Jacob back before he changed into a wolf. Edward was panting and smirking horribly. Jake strained to get at him again, but it wasn't gonna happen. His two BFF's had tight grips on his arms and shoulders.

Just then, Sam trotted over. "Dumb and Dumber, get your butts over here pronto. We've just spotted the redhead, and she's not alone." Jake stopped fighting his friends and caught my eye. We exchanged looks of shock and horror.

_**Well, I had to add a bit of humor to this part. At least, I laughed. Anyways, I know the timing is way off from the book, but hey, I'm going to try to make it work. R & R if you wish.**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Things are not always what they seem. Enjoy!**_

_**Part X**_

_**The Scene: The pack and recently assembled Cullens in front of the Black house. Victoria and her newborns are rapidly approaching. **_

Just to be on the safe side, I held Jacob's hand and kept him near Sam, far away from Eddie (aka Sparkles) and the other vampires. He probably wouldn't have left my side even if I didn't have a death grip on his hand. Sam was suggesting a plan of action and it involved me, so therefore, Jake was all ears.

"She needs to get out of here, Jacob," he was saying when I finally decided to listen. I heard a snort, and scowled when I saw Edward shaking his head. "It shouldn't be a problem anyways. You dogs have a peculiar smell, and the newborns won't be too fond of it, I assure you."

Carlisle shot him a look. "Nonetheless, Bella should get out of here, and quick. Victoria can't be too far off." Esme nodded assent. "It would be appropriate for Jacob to accompany her to wherever it is you plan to send her. He will give off an odor that will send our intruders running. He should probably stay with her the whole time as well."

Jacob looked slightly put out. Sam ended it at once. "Would you rather witness carnage or keep her safe?" Jake straightened up immediately and his face was an unreadable mask. I squeezed his hand tighter.

The rest of the conversation is hazy, for I was too focused on Jacob than I was on paying attention to the discussion. I remember the mountains being mentioned, and it so happened that that was where we ended up going. I was sent to Charlie's to pack a few things, with the excuse that Leah was having me over for the night ("How nice that you two finally decided to buddy up," was Charlie's reply.). She wasn't too keen with the idea, but it worked like a charm.

I put on the heavy parka and fuzzy pants, complete with boots as well, as soon as I got to Billy's. Charlie didn't notice my various bags as I left the house, which was a great relief. Jake gave me a hard time, noting that I looked like a marshmallow, but he did grow concerned once we finally were in the mountains, alone in the tent. I was shivering and my teeth were chattering and my lips were turning blue, despite my thick clothing. He pulled out a sleeping back and got in.

"Come on, Bells, get on in here. I'm not letting you freeze into a popsicle today, thanks." I gratefully snuggled up against him, and instantly felt warm again. Jacob sighed contentedly, and was silent for a few moments. But then the worst was suggested. "Hey, Bella, this might be a bit easier…" I started to crawl out. "Not a chance," I barked. He laughed and gently pulled me back to him.

"Your pack would be nauseated," I mumbled. He didn't say anything, for which I was grateful. However, he must have been thinking something, because a moment later, the tent flap was unzipped and in charged a furious Edward. "I am beginning to feel nauseated," he claimed. I groaned, and pressed myself against Jacob even more.

To my utter amazement, Jake did not stir. He said not a word, didn't even flinch. It was like he knew Edward had been there…which was funny, really. That was near impossible, wasn't it?

He nuzzled my hair, like he was a dog, which made a tickling sensation. I actually giggled, something I never ever did. Edward did indeed look disgusted, but then it occurred to me that that was what Jacob wanted.

"What are you doing here, Edward" I asked, rather rudely, come to think of it. I didn't really want an audience to this display of affection I was getting. He growled, "Victoria came up this way, actually." Jacob stopped frizzing up my hair and stared at Edward. "That's impossible…" "Not really," Edward shrugged. "She most likely caught Bella's scent in yours. She probably has developed an immunity to wolf aroma."

Jake's eyes narrowed. "Pardon me, Bella," he grunted, climbing out of the sleeping bag and heading for the flap. I immediately began to shiver again, mostly out of fear than cold. Edward looked at me longingly, like he wished he could help me. I rolled my eyes, but didn't say anything. If I alerted Jake, things would not end well, for any of us.

Suddenly, Edward looked away, towards Jacob with urgency. I gulped. "What?" I whispered. Jacob looked back at me. "I promise, Bella, that I will protect you, even if I die trying." A lump formed in my throat. Surely he didn't mean…

"Look out!" Edward yelled, and jumped out of the tent. I heard screeching, and at first imagined a panther, but once Jake jumped out and transformed into his wolf form, I could see through the hole. Victoria and one of her newborns was upon us.

I hid inside the tent, looking through the open flap. I was terrified, be assured of that, but I had to see what was going on.

Jacob had gone for the newborn, whom Victoria kept calling Riley. She was talking to him, telling him things. She must have been schooling him in Cullen/Black combat. She was focused more on Edward. It seemed they didn't even care about the tent.

It was gruesome, watching Jacob and Riley fight. Jake was obviously winning this one, but the vampire was not backing down. It got ugly when Jacob lunged at him and ripped off his stony hand. Riley screamed in pain and kicked at Jake, who howled and was sent sailing into the air. Riley noticed me in the shadows and came for me. Jake lie motionless on the ground. I was crying by this time. Riley was almost upon me, his dismembered hand crawling after him, when Jacob, my Jacob, limped over, jumped, and tore his head off. Literally.

It rolled to my feet. I swooned and vomited off to the side, then flicked it away. Victoria, noticing what had happened, ran off into the trees. Edward, breathing heavily, came over to where Jacob was. "Excellent, dog. Couldn't have done it better myself, though I'm shocked to actually be saying that." Jake made a snuffling sound, which may have been laughter, though I can't be sure. He gestured with his nose toward me, and I reached back and tossed Edward the matches. He set Riley's limbs ablaze, away from me and my pile of puke.

I dragged myself over to where Jacob was. He appeared to have a broken rib, because his breathing was raspy and labored. I petted his matted fur and sobbed into it. He whined, which was probably an attempt at consolation, but I was inconsolable. My Jacob was hurt, and I'd just watched him kill, and completely mangle, a vampire. It was revolting, awful, mortifying- but I was glad he was alive.

Edward had stood looming over us, checking the forest for Victoria, but now, as I calmed down a bit, he knelt beside us. "Bella," he muttered. I turned my wet face to him. He looked at me and asked, "Do you hate me?" I shook my head, because it was the truth. I didn't exactly hate Edward. I just didn't like him. Passionately.

I opened my mouth to apologize, but he held up a hand. "I know. But please, forgive me. I assure you that if you don't hate me now, you will in a moment."

He pulled me to my feet. "Isabella Swan, I don't care who knows this, because it's the truth. I have always been, and always shall be, deeply in love with you." I took a step back, but Edward grabbed me and kissed me full on the lips. Right in front of Jake. I struggled to get away from him, but he would not release me. Finally he stopped, and I dropped to the ground with a look of real hatred on my face. "Told you so," he whispered. He stepped back several paces and looked at Jacob.

Jacob, to my amazement, was already on his feet. Wobbly though he was, he was on his feet. Or paws, I should say. His wolf eyes were black, jet black, and his lips were pulled back in a snarl. He growled and his teeth bared. He took wary steps toward Edward, and once convinced that he could indeed walk, charged for him.

I gasped, but not at them. Victoria stood in the trees near me. Now that Edward and Jake were distracted, she could approach. I scrambled backward, but that was of no use. She was coming for me. The end was near, I could feel it.

It was as though the whole thing was in slow motion. Victoria, loping over to where I was sitting in the snow, and then Jacob, giving an unearthly howl as he saw her. I turned, with my last move, to the boy I loved so much. He made eye contact with me for the last time, and just as his eyes reached me, a white light blinded me, and I faded away.

_**R&R for the sake of it.**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**I love completing something. Gives me some self-worth. **_

_**Final Puzzle Piece**_

Charlie was decked out in a great black tux. I admired him for dressing so nicely for the occasion. Jacob, having fully recovered from his rib incident, was spiffed up in an equally appealing tuxedo. His short hair was as he usually wore it, no gel, just natural, as though he could tell I always liked it that way. I certainly had never told him.

Gosh, how the Church looked. All nice, with flowers everywhere. My favorites, lilies and roses, in ornate glass vases stationed in convenient places. People sat in the pews, some already crying. Why? I hadn't been escorted out yet, but my time was coming.

The pack was tidied up. Leah looked stunning, and Emily looked equally lovely. The guys were all dressed in tuxedos, with tight ties. It was amusing to look at them, adjusting themselves and trying to act properly. It was like they had never been to Church before.

The Cullens were there. Rosalie looked very happy. I didn't blame her. I'd finally done what she wanted. Emmett looked out of place. The clothes he was wearing did look a little tight. Alice kept trying to get Jasper to smile, but he just made her melancholy to shut her up. It seemed to bring a grin to his face, so I'd say Alice accomplished her task, even if unconventionally. Esme and Carlisle looked just like a king and queen, they were so regally dressed, and Edward…he looked neither upset nor glad. He had been a mellow kind of guy the past few days, I'd watched him. At least he didn't fight with Jake anymore. I thanked him for that.

I sighed and looked over the whole congregation one last time. And then, the music started, and the procession began. Charlie didn't look uncomfortable at all. In fact, he was sort of pleased. I mean, I'd ended up with his best friend's kid, and he liked Jacob a lot. Much better than he ever had Edward. I suspect he was glad I had made a decision that suited him. But as I told him a lot, I didn't need to decide. It had already been decided.

The whole imprinting thing would never have fully established itself in Charlie's brain. I knew that from the moment I got home. It was too complicated, and besides, he still wasn't allowed to know about werewolves or vampires. Ever.

He smiled at me, with teeth, for the first time ever as he looked down at me, dressed in white, my hair curled and piled up on top of my head, covered by a veil. "You look beautiful," he whispered. I kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Daddy," I whispered back. Again, another first.

And we were off. I held his arm with one hand and my flowers with the other. The whole time, I tried not to look at Jacob, who had grown into a gorgeous young man of 21 (I'd convinced him to wait a while for us to get married.). But it was impossible to resist, and I took him in with my greedy brown eyes. All mine in a matter of minutes.

We slipped rings on each other's hands, and I felt the old thrill rush through me. After all these years, he never ceased to excite me. And when my husband kissed me, I felt like I could fly. I was Isabella Black, and would forever be. That fact was the best I'd ever heard.

The doorbell rang. I climbed out of my rocking chair, shooed the children into the yard, and walked over to the door. Carefully, I might add, for I had another one on the way. I sincerely hoped that Jacob would be at the door, tricking me into yet another kiss by greeting me at the front door instead of the back. But upon opening it, I beheld a perpetually 17-year-old boy, who looked quite sheepish.

"Come in, Edward," I beckoned him into my warm household and led him into the kitchen. "Hello, Bella," he said politely, and I showed him to a chair at the kitchen counter. After fixing myself a cup of coffee, I sat down in the chair opposite him and smiled. "So, what's up?" He fiddled with a toy one of the kids had left on the table and didn't look at me when he said, "We're moving again."

Edward and I had been friends for a while now. To be honest, we'd been chums ever since he saved my life, the day Jacob imprinted on me. I forgave him of any past wrongs, and he did the same, and from then on, we were good pals. The news he was now giving me, twelve years later, gave me a twinge of real pain.

"All of you?" I asked. Even though I was friends with Edward, I had always liked Alice more. She came over regularly to visit, talk to the kids, and socialize with Leah, who sparked her interest for some reason.

Edward nodded. "People have clearly begun to notice, Mrs. Swan. We can't just say Carlisle's been getting Botox forever and that we offspring have all gone off into the world, never to come visit. It won't work much longer. Plus, we have to distract the Volturi. The farther away we are, the safer you guys will be."

I sighed. "Will you ever come back and visit us?" He looked up then and smiled. "Would you like that, Mrs. Swan?" I grinned. "Of course, young Cullen. I would be honored to have you in my home." We laughed, and then he rose.

"I have to go now, Bella. I came back to tell you, and now I've got to find the others before they get too far off." I patted his shoulder. "Thank you for everything," I whispered, choked up with tears. He took my warm, motherly hand and kissed it. "I'll never forget you, Bella. Ever. I swear." And with that, he took off.

I stood there in the doorway for a while. I was staring in the direction he'd left. I didn't even notice when Jacob appeared at my side. "You okay, honey?" he asked, turning me around to face him. I gasped at first, but then laughed. "You scared me, Jake! But yes, I'm all right."

He kissed me, and then held me in his strong, warm arms. "What are we going to name him?" I didn't need to think. "Eddie," I muttered. He pulled me back and looked at me. "Why that name?" he asked me. I shrugged. "Oh, I just like it. Helps me to remember." He nodded, as though he knew, and held me again. I smiled and mouthed it again. Eddie would be my little boy's name. Not Edward, but Eddie. Because that was the name I liked best. It not only described my old friend's good side, but it would help me to remember in every aspect how much of my life he had shaped. I would never forget. Ever. I swore.

_**Don't you just love happy endings? I truly hope you enjoyed my version of Twilight. Thank you to everyone, and I do believe that I have only one thing left to say: Fin.**_


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